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TE TROUBLE

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Comments

  • raynaj
    raynaj Member Posts: 24
    edited December 2013


    Hello: I am just wondering if there is a normal amount per fill. I will be going in 10 days for my first fill and the PS said she will put in 75cc or see how it goes. I'm was also wondering, as soon as you are done the fill and feel tension, will that be the extent of the tension or does it increase as time goes by. I've read amounts as little as 40cc and as much as 150cc, so I was just curious.


    Rayna

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013


    Rayne it all depends! I never felt pain at a fill till my last 2 and my P'S filled 100 every time. I started out with 300 in. My goal was 900. These last two fills were painful and he only put 50 in the last time. Took me a week to recover. But 3 fills I didn't even feel. Some people feel the 50 cc fills. It depends. If it feels painful tell her to stop filling. Otherwise it feels like a stretchy feeling. Good luck.

  • raynaj
    raynaj Member Posts: 24
    edited December 2013


    Thanks, Moonflwr

  • cocok
    cocok Member Posts: 12
    edited December 2013


    I had a skin & nipple sparing unilateral mastectomy in Feb 2013; TE exchange is scheduled for Jan 2014. Since we're trying to match the native (left) breast & nipple, PS said that he might have to move the right nipple during the exchange surgery. There is also a chance he won't have to, but he mentioned he might if it doesn't drop when he puts the silicone implant in. I'm leaning toward just telling him that if the right nipple doesn't line up to the left, then just cut it off altogether. I just don't want another incision and scar, nor do I want the risk of necrosis and infection, just to have another surgery to remove it. I haven't had radiation, and I don't smoke, so maybe the complication risks are slim. I just don't know enough about it. Has anyone been in the same situation?

  • denise4603
    denise4603 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2013


    UGH! Right breast is red again. NP removed fluid and sent it for culture. Changed my antibiotics again. Have to see PS on Monday. Praying for no more hospital stays or surgery. Just started the chemo and want to make progress.

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited December 2013

    Denise,

    See if your doc will put you on IV vancomycin. It's supposed to be the most powerful antibiotic there is. I was on it for a month to knock out an infection that caused a lot of tissue death and led to a second operation. It saved some tissue that other antibiotics failed to help. You will have to get an IV put in again and will have to have blood tests after every three doses to check for liver problems, but it works! I am on it again after my exchange surgery one week ago. My doc is taking no chances this time that I'll get another infection.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013


    hugs denise.


    Just got home after exchange. Feel good And can't Keep eyes open. Squishies good! And Ano drains. Nite

  • minustwo
    minustwo Member Posts: 13,306
    edited December 2013


    Moon - welcome home. Happy squishies. We'll be waiting for more details when you wake up.

  • denise4603
    denise4603 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2013


    Congratulations Monica! I am so happy to read that you are home and complete after such a long, hard, journey.


    God bless you and please continue to hang around and advise the rest of us.


    I guess I will be calling my PS in the morning. Looks like my infection is back and needs IV antibiotics. I hope I don't end up in surgery again or lose my expanders. I imagine this newest problem will mess with my Taxol schedule. It is such a vicious circle. :(

  • denise4603
    denise4603 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2013


    update - no infection. Ended up losing my right tissue expander today. I just make too much fluid.Feeling defeated.

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited December 2013

    Oh Denise, I'm so sorry.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013


    Denise. Hugs. We DO understand. My time in between tries at this helped me to understand why I was doing this. You will decide if another try is worth it. But it's all right to grieve this failed attempt because that just sucks! I know I was in a rush to finish the reconstruction and it did not work the way I intended. It is what it is. I am feeling pretty good so far after my recent exchange which Fi ally replaced my right TE which had been in for 24 months. And my left TE which was my 3rd one on that side. You will decide what works for you. Much love and gentle hugs.

  • denise4603
    denise4603 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2013


    Thanks Sandy!


    Monica- Glad to hear you are feeling good today. Thank you for sharing your experiences. You have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. That gives me hope.

  • goldie4040
    goldie4040 Member Posts: 404
    edited December 2013

    Oh Denise

    I am so sorry.  There is nothing more frustrating than a set back like that.  Like Moon said, you will start over when you are ready, or you can take a different route.  Nothing is set in stone.  Have you ever talked to your surgeon about doing something other than implants?  I have been all over the map with my recon.  I started out wanting implants, not even knowing there were other options, then found out about flap surgeries and was going that route, then that didn't work out for me, so now I am back to implants, and just had my exchange 2 weeks ago.  The right thing will happen for you.  Just hang in there.

  • LilLadie
    LilLadie Member Posts: 22
    edited December 2013

    Moonflwr-

         Good luck tomorrow!!! 

  • denise4603
    denise4603 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2013

    Thank you Goldie4040, I will figure something out eventually - PS is thinking maybe fat grafting, but I don't even want to think about it until chemo is done.  Taxol #2 is tomorrow.

  • LilLadie
    LilLadie Member Posts: 22
    edited December 2013

    hi everyone! Don't know why I'm on here and not asleep. It official... I have my squishees. Surgery went well but I'm hurting. My surgery was approx. 2 hours and I am no longer lopsided!! I just literally left recovery and am headed home with my wonderful hubby!!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    Congrats Lilladie! Heal fast and well!

  • LilLadie
    LilLadie Member Posts: 22
    edited December 2013

    Moonflwr-

         Thank you. I hope all went well with your surgery.  Here's to a speedy and safe recovery. You are definetly in need of it! 

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    got back from P'S today. Things look good. Took off steri strips. Looks good. Yay!

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited December 2013

    Lilladie, you are amazing...I think I was not able to see the computer, much less post anything for about a week. You go girl!

    Goldie, still doing ok?

    Moon, so glad things are going smoothly this time. You are healing quickly! Steri-strips off already! Do you go to see your PS next week too?

    I'm 13 days out and saw the PS for a second check up today. The IV Vancomycin did a good job of keeping any signs of infection at bay, so he said I can stop it and took the PICC line out. Feels SO good to be free again.

  • denise4603
    denise4603 Member Posts: 61
    edited December 2013

    Congratulations Liladie!  Another one crosses the finish line!

    Sounds like things are looking up Sandra!

    Moving right along Monica, no one can stop you now.

    Things going ok for you Goldie?

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited December 2013

    Sandra, yay! No more PICS line. That s almost as good as no drains!!! LOL 

    I was surprised P'S says One month  unless problems. I am happy. Feeling zings and stings along incision line. And a couple of bumps under the arm where the mudflaps were removed. Feels like scar tissue. Kinda weird for one week. Isn't red. Not hot. Not leaking. Just by under the stitching. Will check it daily. 

    Much love to all. 

  • goldie4040
    goldie4040 Member Posts: 404
    edited December 2013

    Hi ladies

    I wish I could say things were good, but they are not.  I was having a really bad time with iron bra during my expander period, and I was promised I would feel so much better at exchange.  So far, no better at all.  I might even feel tighter..  I went in today to see surgeon because I was concerned about possible infection, but it wasn't, thank goodness, but I left there feeling very defeated.  I felt kind of blown off about my tightness problem.  It was like, oh well. that happens sometimes.  But, this is bad.  Like it's hard to take a deep breath. 

    I did a lot of crying today.  My poor DH.  I want to feel sort of normal again.  I was ready to accept a new normal, but not this awful. 

    Sorry I am such a bummer.  I needed to unload.

  • sandra4611
    sandra4611 Member Posts: 1,750
    edited December 2013

    Oh Goldie, I'm so sorry. So what did the doctor say? Is it swelling from the surgery? Is it fluid that he expects will be absorbed? Darn it, something is causing that feeling. Did he give you any instructions for how to relieve the discomfort? Take off a constricting bra? Put one on? There are lots of topical pain relievers like Voltaren Gel or Lidocaine patches that he could prescribe. I've used both on painful TE's and they helped then so they should work even better after the exchange. Are you still taking drugs? Anything for inflammation? Motrin should help.

    I don't blame you for crying. I've blubbered like a baby so many times the past two weeks.. It's supposed to be very common to get quite emotional before and after the exchange so I guess it's some consolation that we are normal in that way.<sigh> Everyone else who has had their exchange lately seemed to be doing great, so it was upsetting to find myself in more pain than the BMX. It wasn't supposed to be this way, darn it. (Pouting and stomping feet.)

  • goldie4040
    goldie4040 Member Posts: 404
    edited December 2013

    I know, Sandra.  As the weeks went by and everybody was coming home so happy I thought, "please let it be good for me too."  Ugh.  He wants me to wait, of course, it's only been two weeks, and see how it goes, but I am getting a second opinion.  There is a fairly common syndrome called PMPS (post mastectomy pain syndrome), and I don't think that is what I have because it's not pain I feel, but extreme tightness.  So, I will keep doing my stretches, and pray a lot.  I really wanted a happy xmas.  Very disappointed.  The boobs themselves don't look too bad.  I could live with them if the weren't so uncomfortable.  It's funny how you keep changing what you will find acceptable just to be out of pain, or to be done! 

    I am so happy for everybody else. Some of you have been through a lot hard stuff, and come out the other side.  Someday that will be me. 

  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 934
    edited December 2013

    Hi ladies, so glad I saw this thread! I thought I was the one of a very few that was dealing with TE problems like this. I had surgery this morning to debridge(i think that is it) and restich my left side due to necrosis. It had been getting progresively worse over the last week and finally came to a grand finale last night when my expander was literally trying to push out of my body. I was so freaked out by that, I can't even tell you. I'm relieved today to not have to deal with the gauze, the dripping of fluid down my stomach, and just seeing how horrible my already disfigured breast looked with the necrosis on it. The irony of this of course is the left side is my non-cancer side...go figure! I do wonder how this will or if it will slow down my initial recovery and my beginning of chemo.

    Anyway, just glad to see this thread. ((hugs))

    Edited to add:

    I just wanted to say that I have felt frustrate with my PS about this situation, I told him and my BS that something was wrong and the PS didn't ever seem worried about it. I kind of got a blow off in alot of ways, when finally he agreed that it wasn't healing and that it would need surgery. When I called him last night to say that my flipping TE was pushing out, he was very calm when he said "this doesn't surprise me". I was like wtf....you could have warned me!!

  • goldie4040
    goldie4040 Member Posts: 404
    edited December 2013

    Tan, I am sorry that happened to you.  He might have been able to prevent that if he attended to it sooner.  I had my incision on my left expander debrided and reclosed with great success. I then went on to expansion and had my exchange 2 weeks ago.  I have other issues with that, but whole other story.

    Yes, and it is so frustrating when they don't seem concerned about what has happened.  Their lives have not been put on hold.  Sometimes I wish they could be in our shoes for just a week, or two.  Also, they lose there perspective because they deal with this day in and day out. 

    I am glad you found us.  Good luck with chemo.  Keep us posted

  • purple87
    purple87 Member Posts: 93
    edited December 2013

    welcome home moon glad u are doing good

  • purple87
    purple87 Member Posts: 93
    edited December 2013

    Hello ladies....I haven't been on in awhile bc I met a awesome man who has occupied my time.   I have thought of many of you though.  Just found out I will be having my double Latimuis Dorsi Flap on Jan 2.   This is gonna be a HUGE surgery so if you guys can keep me in prayer I would appreciate it.  Love and miss u all

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